1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable pneumatic bicycle saddle (seat) system, and in particular to a system that can have standard, male and racing configurations, and to a system having an adjustable bladder, and to an improved pump therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bicycling is a widely enjoyed activity, both recreationally and competitively. Most cyclists are concerned with comfort. That is, if a seat were more comfortable, the rider would be more likely to engage in more frequent and longer rides. Many improvements have been made to saddles, or seats, over the years. Some examples include:
United States Patent Number (hereafter, “USPN”) U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,205 to Calvert et al. is titled Seat Assembly with a Defined Flexure Region, Venting or Support Nodules. This patent describes a seat assembly having flexure members and ventilation. An elongated aperture is cut into a base plate of the seat assembly and flexure members are formed in a support plate of the assembly which is mounted to the base plate. The flexure members deform into the aperture thus providing a rider with additional comfort due to the flexibility of the seat. A venting hole is provided throughout the seat assembly to aid in rider comfort. A forced air ventilation system forces air to flow throughout the seat assembly, thus giving the rider ample ventilation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,612 to Rassekhi is titled Inflatable Seat Assembly. It describes an inflatable bicycle seat or cover therefor having a plurality of independently inflatable cell assemblies, each of which is made up of one or more inflatable cells. The cell assemblies are connected to a fluid source so that the user can selectively adjust the degree of inflation of each individual cell assembly and, hence, the contour and support of the seat. The cells within each cell assembly are connected by a conduit that restricts fluid flow between cells within the assembly so that the seat will provide firm and stable support even under the forces generated in pedaling. A lightweight fluid source and controller valve are provided to permit selective adjustment of individual cell assemblies so that the contour and support characteristics can be adjusted to suit the individual requirements, from time to time, of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,961 to Howard is titled Pneumatic Bicycle Saddle. This patent shows a bicycle saddle having an air-filled bladder. The bladder is a durable plastic film chamber having an easily accessible air pump and release valve that allows the bicyclist to adjust the air pressure to his/her comfort without dismounting and or seeking an air supply. The bladder is fitted into a contoured cavity located in a plastic shell base. The bicyclist's weight is supported by the bladder which maintains its shape due to material selection and thickness plus a supporting base. Additional dimensional stability is provided by spot welds of the bladder material to control expansion. Also, an optional skirt is provided on the bladder to further hold it in position when inflated. A simple push pump at the rear and a release valve button under the nose of the saddle enables the saddle to be adjusted for pressure. Metal rails provide generous fore and aft adjustment and a place to firmly clamp the saddle to the bicycle seat post. The saddle is covered with a soft flexible material and adhered to the plastic base. The few number of parts and the absence of mechanical gadgetry, allow the saddle to be manufactured, assembled, and offered at low cost. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,896, also to Howard, is a continuation in part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,961.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,685 to Herring is titled Inflatable/Deflatable Motorcycle Seat Cushion. It describes an inflatable/deflatable cushion system adapted for installation onto a motorcycle seat may be operated either manually or electrically operated. In the latter case, an electrically operated air compressor is supported on the motorcycle and connected in a pneumatic path to an air port on the cushion. An electrical switch in electrical communication with a source of electrical power on the vehicle includes a first position activating the air compressor, causing the cushion to inflate, and a second position causing the cushion to deflate. In the preferred embodiment the cushion is generally U-shaped and attached to the motorcycle seat such that the rounded section of the U is most rearward on the seat with the ends of the U pointing forwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,396 to Muser is titled Bicycle Seat and Seat Cover. It shows a seat covering that is made with a planar base of resilient material and a plurality of resilient spaced columns integrally formed with the base. Each column has a wide end adjacent to the base and a free narrow end remote from the base, the columns extending outwardly on one side of the base to define a shock absorbing surface spaced from the base and creating a flow path for ambient air to travel between the columns. The columns are adapted to flex independently from one another and to converge together or diverge from one another in response to the movement or anatomy of a person, so that friction resulting from relative movement between the covering and the person is minimized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,550 to Tucho is titled Bicycle Seat. It describes a bicycle seat that includes a foam seat cushion member having an inflatable edge cushion provided around the back and side edges of an upper cushion surface thereof and a centrally positioned dual lobe inflatable buttocks cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,548 to Cole is titled Bicycle Seat with Inflatable Interior. It shows a bicycle seat with inflatable interior including a bicycle seat comprised of a seat portion and a stem portion. The stem portion couples the bicycle seat to a frame of a standard bicycle. The seat portion has an outer layer and a padded inner layer. The padded inner layer has a recess formed in a central portion thereof. An inflatable cushion is disposed within the recess formed in the central portion of the padded inner layer of the bicycle seat. The inflatable cushion has a generally hourglass configuration. The inflatable cushion has an air tube extending outwardly therefrom and extending outwardly of the bicycle seat. A free end of the air tube has a hand pump coupled thereto for selectively pumping air into the cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,676 to Wyner et al. is titled Dynamic Seat with Inflatable Bladder. It shows a bicycle seat for a rider that includes a base having a base top surface with an inflatable bladder having a bladder top surface. The inflatable bladder is disposed on the base top surface and the base top surface and the bladder top surface together form a seat contour profile. A pump is connected to the inflatable bladder to introduce fluid media therein with a release valve fluidly connected to the bladder to permit fluid media to exit therefrom. Also, the bicycle seat of the present invention can be configured to be in the form of a cover to be retrofitted to an existing bicycle seat. In this configuration, the cover includes a base with a structure for securing it to the existing bicycle seat. For example, this structure can be a skirt of material or other releasable type of structure.
Each of these patents show products that may work well for their intended purposes. However, solve the problems of the present invention.
None show a bladder with crossover portions that allow air to pass between two side sections and that prevent buckling of the sides.
None show a seat or saddle with forced air flow between a bladder and a cover.
None show a combination pump with a plunger, a release and a shut-off valve.
None show a male specific seat designed to reduce and/or eliminate pressure on the male genital areas.
Many pumps have also been developed. Some examples include:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,927 to Mackal is titled Resilient Inflation-Deflation Valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,339 to Fisher is titled Valve Assembly. Is shows a valve assembly for use in inflating a chamber which comprises two independent subchambers separated by a flexible wall utilizes a single fluid inlet with a valve member controlling communication to the subchambers. The valve member comprises two pivotable portions which move downstream to split the inlet flow to fill each subchamber independently.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,710 to Phillips is titled Inflation Mechanism for Inflatable Article of Manufacture. It shows an inflatable article of manufacture having inflation and fluid release mechanisms. The inflation mechanism generally comprises a pump and a resilient fluid intake valve. The fluid release mechanism includes a housing, a fluid release means and a protective cover which is received about the housing. The protective cover of the fluid release mechanism may also function as a connector for an “off board” inflation mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,909 to Chang is titled Pump Structure Connectable with an Air cushion or Bladder. It shows a pump structure connectable with an aircushion or a bladder. The pump structure includes: a flexible main body defining a valve room in which a relief valve is arranged and a compressible chamber; a one-way valve permitting the fluid to one-way flow into the chamber; and a thin membrane-type check valve. The check valve has a first end and a second end, which are operable between opened position and closed position. The first and second ends respectively communicate with the chamber and an output tube, which is connectable with the aircushion or bladder. The first and second ends of the check valve are respectively positioned in spaces provided by the chamber and the valve room. A substrate board is disposed under the flexible main body. The substrate board has a through hole and a notch formed on positions where the first and second ends of the check valve are formed.
While each of these patents show devices that may be useful for their intended purposes, none have the unique advantages of the present invention.
None show a pump having a base, a stem, a valve and a bulb.
None show a pump with a near linear inlet and exit path.
None show a valve with a spring loaded plunger operable to both allow air to inter and exit an adjacent bladder.
None show a pump with a cover that prevents blow-by or air from passing through the threadable connection between a base and a stem. Similarly, none show the cover also maintaining the location of an O-ring within a recess.
Thus there exists a need for an adjustable pneumatic bicycle saddle system and an improved pump that solves these and other problems.